Interactive chalkboard

• US 8,187,005 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Turning Technologies LLC (Echo 360, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eInstruction
• Inventors: Ward, Darrell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hadizonooz, Banafsheh
• Application Number:
  US11/939,056
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 434/350, 434/365, 434/362, 434/322
• US Class Current: 434/365
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/08 providing for individual presentation of information to a plurality of student stations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/07 providing for individual presentation of questions to a plurality of student stations

Abstract

Communicating in an educational environment includes placing a chalkboard in a private mode that allows a user of the chalkboard to view information exclusive of others in the educational environment. Information is displayed on the chalkboard according to the private mode. The chalkboard is placed in a public mode that allows the chalkboard to control a common display, and information is controlled on the common display using the chalkboard. The common display is viewable by others in the educational environment according to the public mode.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in an educational environment, comprising:

placing a chalkboard in a private mode that allows a user of the chalkboard to view information exclusive of participants in the educational environment;

displaying one or more commands associated with the private mode on a command line of the chalkboard;

displaying information on the chalkboard according to the private mode;

placing the chalkboard in a public mode that allows the chalkboard to control a single common physical display simultaneously viewable by participants in the educational environment;

removing the one or more commands associated with the private mode from the command line of the chalkboard in response to placing the chalkboard in public mode;

displaying one or more commands associated with the public mode on the command line of the chalkboard; and

controlling information on the single common physical display using the chalkboard for view by participants in the educational environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in the private mode, receiving information from a computer to display to the user of the chalkboard; and

in the public mode, transmitting control information to the computer to control information on the single common physical display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a private mode command selection of the one or more displayed commands while the chalkboard is in private mode;

receiving information from a computer according to the private mode command selection; and

displaying information on a graphical user interface associated with the private command selection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a public mode command selection of the one or more displayed commands while the chalkboard is in public mode; and

transmitting control information to a computer according to the public mode command selection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying information on a graphical user interface as shown on the single common physical display while in the public mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the chalkboard is in the private mode and the public mode simultaneously, further comprising transmitting control information to a computer to control information on the single common physical display.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information from a computer to display on the chalkboard, the information responsive to an application executing on the computer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a removable memory to receive information.

9. A system for communicating in an educational environment, comprising:

a computer operable to facilitate communication in the educational environment;

a single common physical display simultaneously viewable by participants in the educational environment and operable to visually indicate information received from the computer; and

a chalkboard operable to communicate with the computer in a private mode that allows a user of the chalkboard to view information exclusive of participants in the educational environment and in a public mode that allows the user of the chalkboard to control information on the single common physical display simultaneously viewable by participants in the educational environment, the chalkboard comprising a command line operable to display commands associated with the private mode when the chalkboard is in private mode and operable to display commands associated with the public mode when the chalkboard is in public mode, the chalkboard operable to change the commands displayed by the command line in response to placing the chalkboard in public mode or private mode.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a remote unit operable to send a response to the computer, wherein the response affects information viewable on the chalkboard.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer is further operable to execute an application and facilitate the communication in the educational environment according to the executed application.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the chalkboard is in the private mode and the public mode simultaneously, the chalkboard further operable to transmit control information to the computer to control information on the single common physical display.

13. A chalkboard, comprising:

firmware operable to;

place the chalkboard in a private mode that allows a user of the chalkboard to view information exclusive of participants in an educational environment;

place the chalkboard in a public mode that allows the chalkboard to control a single common physical display simultaneously viewable by participants in the educational environment; and

control information on the single common physical display using the chalkboard; and

a graphical user interface comprising a command line, the command line operable to;

display commands associated with the public mode when the chalkboard is in public mode; and

display commands associated with the private mode when the chalkboard is in private mode.

14. The chalkboard of claim 13, further comprising a wireless interface coupled to the firmware, the wireless interface operable to:

in the private mode, receive information from a computer to display to the user of the chalkboard; and

in the public mode, transmit control information to the computer to control information on the single common physical display.

15. The chalkboard of claim 13,

the graphical user interface further operable to receive a public mode command selection of the one or more displayed commands while the chalkboard is in public mode;

and

further comprising a wireless interface operable to transmit control information to a computer according to the public mode command selection.

16. The chalkboard of claim 13, the graphical user interface further operable to display information as shown on the single common physical display while in the public mode.

17. The chalkboard of claim 13,

the command line further operable to receive a private mode command selection of the one or more displayed commands while the chalkboard is in private mode;

further comprising a wireless interface operable to receive information from a computer according to the private mode command selection; and

the graphical user interface further operable to display information associated with the private command selection.

18. The chalkboard of claim 13, the firmware further operable to, in the private mode and the public mode simultaneously, transmit control information to a computer to control information on the single common physical display.

19. The chalkboard of claim 13, further comprising a wireless interface operable to receive information from a computer to display on the graphical user interface, the information responsive to an application executing on the computer.

20. The chalkboard of claim 13, further comprising a removable memory to store information, the firmware further operable to access the removable memory to receive information.

21. A method for communicating in an educational environment, comprising:

placing a chalkboard in a private mode that allows a user of the chalkboard to view information exclusive of participants in the educational environment;

displaying one or more commands associated with the private mode on a command line of the chalkboard;

receiving a private mode command selection of the one or more displayed commands;

receiving information from a computer according to the private mode command selection to display to the user of the chalkboard;

displaying information on a graphical user interface of the chalkboard associated with the private command selection;

placing the chalkboard in a public mode that allows the chalkboard to control a single common physical display simultaneously viewable by participants in the educational environment;

controlling information on the single common physical display using the chalkboard;

removing from the command line the one or more commands associated with the private mode in response to placing the chalkboard in public mode;

displaying one or more commands associated with the public mode on the command line of the chalkboard;

receiving a public mode command selection of the one or more displayed commands;

in the public mode, transmitting control information to the computer to control information on the single common physical display according to the public mode command selection; and

displaying information on the graphical user interface as shown on the single common physical display while in the public mode.